Μια γαλάζια περιστέρα ⬥ A blue dove, oh, a blue dove flew by. Flying from mountain to mountain she was searching for her mate. My love so far away, tell me, my love in a foreign land, how I can wait? Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Ένα μουνί παινεύτηκε ⬥ A braggart of a cunt declaimed to East and West alike that there was not a cock at hand to come along and fuck it. My cock, which soon got wind of this, was very much offended. It got its balls to serve as wings and [...]
Λεβέντης εξεκίνησε ⬥ A brave young lad set out for Macedonia, where Pavlos men was gathering, men in whom the spirit of Twenty One lived on. – Boys, Kastoria is calling for our help, Kastoria and all of Macedonia. Grevena has bid us come. I’d bridge every gorge and every [...]
Ένα μουνί στην κερασιά ⬥ A cunt, my friend, a cunt, a cunt up in the cherry-tree. A cunt up in the cherry-tree, the cock way down below. Five times in all he makes his plaint: – O cunt, come down from there. – I’ll not come down, you hugeous [...]
Μια λυγερή τραγούδησε ⬥ A fair maid did sing out in the moonlight, but the gentle wind took her song and swept it out to sea and every boat that heard it reefed its sails save a boat from Sfakiá with its Cretan crew that could neither reef sails nor [...]
Πανηγυράκι γίνεται (Local Dance of Saint George) ⬥ A festival is being held, high up around Saint George’s. – Salutations, Frankish lord! A multitude was at the feast and there was little water, – Coming ! Out of there! Show me! A ribbon and a maypole, a ribbon loosely woven, [...]
Μια προυσταγή μιγάλη ⬥ And the king did command and ’twas a great command: fleet and admiral were to quit the land. By the Lord’s command and the King’s if-you-please the fleet was to sail for the twelve islands. Many fine ships rounded Cavo Doro, fair flying by; when Lambros [...]
Ένας κοντός κοντούτσικος (Mελί Eρυθραίας) ⬥ A little shorty, a short little man, aides pouli mou aides, had a beautiful wife and the whole neighbourhood, aman aman, was jealous, the whole country was jealous of him and none more than his own mother. A pasha, too, was jealous of his beautiful wife [...]
Μια κόρη από την Εύριπου ⬥ A maid from Evripo sought to set sail, she sought to make passage. She sought to make the passage to the far shore and paid a hundred Venetian sequins, a hundred gold pieces to be taken to her homeland and four hundred and four [...]
Κουράσιν εβουλήθηκε ⬥ A maid would go would go a-strolling and then go back again. She called her neighbours together, yes, by Saint George, and the young girls, too. And she went down to the shore, save me, Saint George, save me, they went down to the sea. They saw [...]
Με μήνυσε μια αρχόντισσα ⬥ A noble lady summoned me, a blue-eyed noble lady, she summoned me to go to her, her wealth in Kalamata lies, she summoned me to dine with her, and kiss her black-blue eyes. She brought out golden cutleries, she set a table for kings and [...]
Πραματευτής κατέβαινε ⬥ A trader made his way from Bulgar lands. He led his trains of twelve and fifteen mules and sang and spoke the while he trekked along: – A pity brigands don’t frequent these hills. No sooner said and three confronted him, and cut the ropes and started [...]
Πραματευτής κατέβαινε ⬥ A trader made his way from Bulgar lands. He led his trains of twelve and fifteen mules and sang and spoke the while he trekked along: – A pity brigands don’t frequent these hills. No sooner said and three confronted him, and cut the ropes and started [...]
Χήρα-ν παιδίν εγέννησε ⬥ A widow bore a child and called him Prosfylis, she bore him behind bars, she suckled him in a prison. Aged one, he took up a sword, aged two his spear, at three and four he leapt upon his mount, he leapt upon his mount and [...]
Χήρα παιδίν εγέννησε ⬥ Studio recording (2001). Porphiris, the hero of this Byzantine ballad, has superhuman powers. One day he boasts that he is not afraid of anybody, not even the king himself. The king orders his arrest. He is found asleep and bound in chains. In this particular variant, [...]
Ένας άγουρος κι ένας καλός στρατιώτης ⬥ A young and gallant soldier Sought a citadel, a citadel. He sought a citadel, a village to stop at. He found none, no citadel. He found neither citadel nor village to stop at; he found, he found a tree. He found a tree, [...]
Πάλι ν-εβγήκαν στον χορό ⬥ Again they entered in the dance, four eyes as dark as olives, four eyes that weave like shuttle through the hearts they break in pieces. I’ll sing a song for you, my love, that you will hear with pleasure: You have an angel’s figure and [...]
Όλοι πάνε στην εκκλησά ⬥ All attend –for sake of Christ– all attend at church to exclaim that “Christ is Risen!” and to hear the Word. As for me, they send me to the shore to guard some sailing vessels. I can see some sailing ships approach and boats are [...]
Όλες οι καπετάνισσες ⬥ All the captains’ women went and bowed down before Ali Pasha, before the vezir, but Leni, Botsaris’ Leni, will not bow her head. – I will not bow down, Ali Pasha, not before you, vezir, I am Leni, I am Botsaris’ wife. Translated by Michael Eleftheriou [...]
Όλα τα κάστρα τα είδα ⬥ All the castles I have seen, not one have I not visited, vr’ aman aman, not one have I not visited, oh maid Frankish, maiden Greek. But like Beauty’s Castle I have seen no other, frankish maid in the Frankish gown. With silver doors [...]
Το γιαλό γιαλό πηγαίνω ⬥ I’m heading along the shore – say it, little ones, to find my love – say it like I do. But I went and found her – say it, little ones, sat at a silver loom – say it like I do. I spoke to [...]
